Hello welcome to La Dolce Vita. I am a busy WAHM of a three year old who really keeps me on my toes. I blog about my Sweet Life (that is what Dolce Vita) means. I share many of my custom hand stamped jewelry pieces, as they are inspired by my every day life. I hope you enjoy fashion as I talk a lot about fashion and I am a total Product Junkie. Step into my world and please come back again soon. If I am not around I am off making some keepsake mommy jewelry for my customers.

Saturday, January 31, 2009

I have shared many times some of my favorite lipsticks but when I need just a great all round lip conditioner I like to keep several tubes of the Softlips 1oo% natural lip conditioners readily available for application. I love finding affordable products that are organic! The key for keeping your lips from becoming dry or chapped is keeping lip balm on your lips as often as possible. I have probably 5 tubes scattered throughout the house and in my purse so I can apply it whenever I need to. I also love to wear it under my lipstick as a base. What I love about the Softlips all natural is just that, they are all natural and come in two yummy flavors Honeydew and Pomegranate. I can't pick a favorite since I like both equally. These lip balms are smooth and taste great!

Here is the best part I have two to giveaway to one lucky reader!!!!! I am going to keep it really simple please just leave me a comment that you would like to snag some Soft Lips certified organic lip conditioners!!! That is it, that simple! No hoops to jump through! Please just make sure I have a way of contacting you if you win!!! Contest closes February 7th at midnight EST.

You can find Softlips at Target, Drugstore.com and many other drugstores and they are priced under $4.

Friday, January 30, 2009

February 6th is National Go Red for Women Day, a day to raise awareness for women and heart disease. You can raise awareness by wearing red on February 6th! Please check out the site Go Red For Women, while you are there you can learn how to keep your heart healthy and ways to support the American Heart Association.

I also wanted to remind everyone that for every hammered "Love" necklace sold a portion of proceeds will be donated to the American Heart Association.

If you would like to read my entire article please visit Beautiful! Fabulous! where I am featured weekly.

What would a blog be with out the fabulous people who leave comments? I am so lucky to have Jenni of Jiggety Jigg as a regular visitor at my site! I introduced you to her last week, as one of my featured readers. A special thank to Jenni for being one of my very loyal followers! If you haven't visited Jenni she is hilarious! You need your daily dose of Jiggety Jigg! Be sure to stop by and say hi to Jenni!

Now since we all love comments, leave me some comment love, it can be about Jenni!

Thursday, January 29, 2009

Today is the 1 year Anniversary of my shop Kristen's Custom CreationsI can hardly believe it has been a year! I wanted to offer a special savings to my bloggy friends for 24 hours I am offering 20% off anything in my shop. Please just enter code anniv01 and you will receive a credit after your purchase within 24 hours. This offer expires on January 30th at NOON EST.

Did you know the traditional gift for a 1 year Wedding Anniversary is something paper, I think I would prefer jewelry! How about you?

P.S. This necklace isn't listed it is my own personal necklace but if you would like one just let me know!

Back up! "Polar Bear/Spiderman" that is his name even though he is a Panda Bear needs to go for a ride!

Will had a complete blast building his Panda/Spiderman, who knew they even have Spiderman clothes for the bears. I think the woman that created Build-A-Bear is a genius, why didn't I think of it??????

Did you know that while shopping for Beanie Babies she came up with the concept of Build -A -Bear, she has a very interesting story and the company is still going strong, it surely isn't a fad at all. Every time I walk by a store they have a line out the door! You can read more about her story here. It just shows you that your dream can turn into a multi-million dollar empire.

So tell me how many Build A Bears do your kiddos have? Today is a special Anniversary click here To view more Thousand Words Thursday you can visit Cheaper Than Therapy Jen.

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Have you ever seen the posters that say "Keep Calm and Carry On"? The one above is a reproduction from sfgirlybybay I just had to learn more about the history behind it, I love the saying and often say it to myself when I feel I just need to Keep Calm and Carry On! It inspired me to create my new hand stamped "Keep Calm and Carry On" necklace.

Here is a bit of history for you:

In the Spring of 1939, with war against Germany the British Government's Ministry of Information commissioned a series of propaganda posters to be distributed throughout the country at the onset of hostilities. It was feared that in the early months of the war Britain would be subjected to gas attacks, heavy bombing raids and even invasion. The posters were intended to offer the public reassurance in the dark days which lay ahead. If you would like to learn more about the history behind the signs you can visit here

So the next time you feel a bit stressed why not do what I do say to yourself, "Keep Calm and Carry On!!

Monday, January 26, 2009

Happy Monday friends! Where did last week go? Monday's are always fun at La Dolce Vita, since I have the pleasure of introducing a very special reader of the week. I am very excited to introduce you to Stacy of Stacy's Random Thoughts. I can't even remember where I met Stacy but we truly became fast friends. Do you know when you read a blog and say wow I can really relate to this person, this is how I feel about Stacy's blog. Stacy speaks from the heart on many different random things as her blog is titled. I love that it is random that way you never know what to expect. Stacy is surely a daily read and you have to read this postabout her miracle baby. I was truly touched! Go grab a cup of joe and get to know Stacy, you can thank me later for introducing you to Stacy!

My hubby Landon and I have been together for 12 years, married for 6.We welcomed a beautiful Miracle Baby, Savannah, who just turned 6 and is a true blessing.We also have a Wheaten Terrier named Elvis, a new puppy – a Blue Merle Sheltie named Travis, a Persian named Norman and a Dove named Virtualization (wait, I think Princess Nagger changed the name again…but we’ll go with the one that I remember last…) ;)

How did you start blogging?

I actually started my Blog outside of Blogger in January 2008, when I jumped on the bandwagon to try to save one of my favorite shows ‘Journeyman’.I was clueless as to what ‘blogging’ was all about, otherwise I would have been a bit more aggressive in my posts (instead of once a month or so).Although I don’t think it would have mattered, as NBC already had their minds made up about canceling that show before they finished airing all 13 episodes.Over the summer I started getting interesrws in reading all the blogs in the blogosphere, and thought it was a great idea to keep in touch with all my friends and family who live so far away – it would alleviate sending long and multiple email messages to so many, this way I can get them all updated in one post! ;)I also wanted to make sure I documented ‘special moments’ of my Little Princess – so she can see them in later years and either be impressed at how cool she was, or embarrassed by being a dork.Some good blackmail material for when she starts dating! ;)

What is your parenting philosophy?

We are big on teaching Savannah respect and manners – she knows she won’t get anything if she doesn’t say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’. ;)She has her moments, as all kids do, but we feel very blessed that she has been ‘good’ since infancy.If she’s not doing what she’s supposed to be doing, we count to ‘5’ – usually she’s then doing what she’s supposed to be doing by the time we get to 4…If she is especially stubborn, she gets a time out.Luckily she’s rarely gotten to the ‘time out’ stage! ;)If she does something wrong, it’s always followed with an apology and hugs and kisses.So far she seems to be a well adjusted child – hopefully that will last through her teenage years down the road! ;)

You will never find me without......

My laptop!;)Of course when I go out, it’s usually my purse (which seems to get bigger each year as the Princess Nagger grows…) with the necessities – cell phone, wallet, lip gloss, snacks for the Princess Nagger, the occasional odd toy she slips in there for safe keeping…etc.;)

Day job:

My first and ‘main’ job is Domestic Goddess!I used to be a Marketing Manager in the Corporate World but when our Miracle Girl made her arrival, I ditched stuffy suits for jeans and comfy clothes… ;)I feel that it is an honor and privilege to be able to stay home with her and never miss all those ‘firsts’.Second to that, I do Web Design at www.sassydesigns.org.I have a small client base at the moment that I’ve created websites for and do their monthly maintenance.I also have a crafty side over at www.savannah-haven.org and get inundated with orders for custom gift baskets and homemade Kahlua around the holidays, chocolate covered cherries for Valentine’s Day.I also make custom dolls and restore composition dolls over at www.sassydolls.com – though that particular site has been put on the back shelf since the Princess Nagger was born, and will remain so until I can get my craft room set up to accommodate all the things I need to create without having to dig through multiple boxes stacked in the attic. ;)Between parenting, blogging and my SassyDesigns and Savannah*Haven sites, I stay very busy!

Favorite Stuff:

Music:I love all kinds of music – it all depends on my mood, but my first love is New Country.

Food:My favorite is Seafood – having grown up in the Seattle area, it was easy to come by and always fresh.Now that I’m in PA, I don’t get my seafood fix as often as I’d like!My second favorite is Italian - anything pasta!For special occasions, I do love steak and lobster… ;)

Reading:I’m a sucker for a good Historical Romance novel…I like all kinds of books, too if they capture my attention in the first chapter, they’re a ‘must read’ for me.Apparently The Twilight Series is going to be going on my list soon… ;)

If you had to wear a T-shirt with your favorite saying on it what would it be?

Sassy Mama, of course! ;)

Favorite stores to shop at:

We don’t have a lot of great ones where I live – so I do a lot of shopping online…but I do love me some Target, Nordstrom’s, TJ Maxx,Kohl’s and Macy’s…

Other good stuff from Stacy:

My Motto:

Dance like no one's watching...

Love like you'll never be hurt...

Sing like no one's listening...

And live like heaven on earth.

Would you like to be a featured reader? Please email me at klacustomcreations@comcast.net to see how you can participate, and don't forget you have a chance to win one of my custom handstamped necklaces out of my shop!

NEW! NEW! NEW! There are just so many handstamped Hugs and Kisses in my shop right now! Valentine's Day is just around the corner and an XO hand stamped necklace makes the perfect gift! The handstamped XO necklaces are available at Kristen's Custom Creations starting at $27.

Saturday, January 24, 2009

I have tried my share of daily moisturizers and am in love with Origins A Perfect World. I love that it has antioxidants and many natural ingredients that provide a nice amount of moisture without the heavy feel. I use this moisturizer year round and love it! The best part is that the price isn't outrageous, not cheap but not outrageous and a little goes a long way. A Perfect World is available at major department stores and at Origins. for $36.Sometimes you can even get a sample of a new product and do a try before you buy, just ask!

Product Information:

New research at several major universities has proven that world-famous White Tea is among the most potent antioxidants, anti-agers, anti-stress, anti-smoke, anti-pollution antidotes. Now its perfect-protective powers are energized and optimized while skin is deeply moisturized. Ferment of Sugarcane acts like a mini-sparkplug to up skin’s ability to neutralize free radicals before they deface skin. Murumuru Butter maximizes skin’s moisture barrier. Rose Fruit Oil hydrates. Centella Asiatica firms. Vitamin C brightens and helps even out skin tone. And aromatic Orange, Bergamot and Spearmint fortify the feel-good factor. Keep your skin in A Perfect World™ 24/7.

Friday, January 23, 2009

I don't know about you but I LOVE comments! In the blogosphere it is affirmation that someone actually likes your blog so much that they take time to leave you a note! I think most bloggers love to receive comments!

5minutesforMom.com has started something new: Say it forward! I just love this! This is a chance to showcase some of your loyal commenters. How fabulous is this? This is going to be fun showcasing some of my loyal commenters. What a great way to say thank you!

I would like to thank and recognize Ali of Home of the Lazy Dog. I look forward to her daily comments! Thank you Ali for the bloggy friendship and comment LOVE! Ali is one of my first bloggy friends! Be sure to visit Ali's site, I know you will love it just as much as I do!

Many of the spring 2009 fashion trends surely have been inspired or let's say borrowed from the 80's. The Boyfriend jean is popping up everywhere and whether you like this trend or not it is hot, hot, hot for this spring. What do you think? Do you like Boyfriend jeans? Should the Boyfriend jeans stay in the 80's time capsule?

One trend you will not see me fashioning is BIG HAIR!!!!!To read the entire article please visit Beautiful! Fabulous! for my weekly fashion feature!

Thursday, January 22, 2009

We have had nothing but snow and very cold weather lately in Michigan! The first pic is just the beginning of the snow. The cold weather requires some cozy pj's w/ feet and the third pic shows the heat hog, Will and Kane fight over the heat vent. You can see Kane took over and even decided to lay on Will's "cozy" blanket.

What is the weather like in your neck of the woods?To view more Thousand Words Thursday please visit Cheaper than therapy Jen

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

The "I Love You More" necklace is a 3/4 inch 925 sterling silver disc of a nice weight. The disc has been hand stamped with the words "I Love You More" The necklace has a hammered, artisan crafted heart charm attached and hangs on a 18 inch sterling silver chain as shown.

Monday, January 19, 2009

Happy Monday friends! I hope everyone had a great weekend, we had a cold and very snowy weekend which is great if you like to snowmobile(I don't)! I am so excited to introduce you to this week's featured reader, she is funny, pretty, popular and super sweet could you ask for anything more? I am very excited to introduce you to the very lovely Jenni of JiggetyJigg. Jenni and I met at one of my favorite social networks and became fast friends. Jenni is a must read and a daily read on my list for sure. I know you are sure to love Jenni as much as I do. Here is one of my favorite posts.

My husband Doug and I have been married for 12 years.We have two sons.Douglas who is about to turn 9 and is our little computer genius.And Jack who is 7 and loves action figures and video games.They are totally different boys…but the very best of friends!

How did you start blogging?

I became a fan of Dooce several years ago, and when MySpace was the “in” thing, I started my own blog there.I wasn’t very faithful to it, but I had some fun.Then this past summer I just had the idea one dayto start one up again on Blogger!I have blogged every single day since!

What is your parenting philosophy?

I think my parenting philosophy is o pick my battles, and always encourage my boys to be the best they can be. I am not a spanker or a yeller... I use my "teacher voice" with them a lot at home and that seems to work.

You will never find me without.....

My iPhone, water,lipgloss, and the knowledge of where the closest Dunkin’ Donuts is from any given location!

6. Day job:

I am teacher!I have my certification in Early Childhood Education which qualifies me to teach Preschool-3rd grade in the public schools.I have taught both 1st and 2nd, and I am currently teaching third.I also have my Group Fitness Certification through AFAA and I teach step and hi/lo aerobics classes at a local gym.

Favorite Stuff:

Music: Dancey groovy pop stuff!

Food:I am a VERY picky eater and I have a lot of food allergies.Mostly, I eat junk.

Sunday, January 18, 2009

In a earlier post which you can read here I talked about how Will and I go back and forth saying "I Love You More" and it inspired me to create a second piece. I introduce you to the new "I Love You More" piece.

Is there anything better than hearing these sweet words: "I Love You More"?The "I Love You More" piece is available in my SHOP.

Saturday, January 17, 2009

Do you have the same problem I do???? Back gap? It isn't my intention to give everyone a peep show of my pretty undies! Now that I have discovered the isABelt the peep shows are over. This is such an amazing product. The isABelt is clear, almost invisible and doesn't give you a bump in the front from a belt buckle, oh and did I mention it takes care of my back gap problem! The isABElt has been featured at Real Simple magazine, Glamour, People, The Today Show and many, many more! Two of my very lucky readers will each receive one of these amazing belts!

Read more about this fab product:

isABelt is the must-have fashion accessory for all women. It is virtually invisible, fully adjustable belt that keeps your outfit looking fantastic by keeping your pants in place. The isABelt is 1/2 inch wide, strong and flexible belt that virtually disappears when worn.

What makes the isABeltso versatile is that it is fully adjustable so it's perfect if you are trying to lose weight or even recently pregnant. (isABelt where were you when I was pregnant!) One of the other fabulous things about the isABelt is that you don't have any "Belt Bulge" when wearing longer tops.

I don't know about you but I wear a belt every day and like the security that a belt gives you but not the extra bulk. isABeltis the perfect solution for my fashion dilemma, the back gap and undie peep show.

There are also several other isABelts available:

1. isABelt+

2.isABelt Jr.

3.hisABelt (that is right just for men or it can be unisex)

4. ?????????????????

Would you like to win a isABelt for yourself? I have two available: one size medium (fits up to size 10) and one size Large (fits up to size 14)

Here is how to enter: (please leave a separate comment for each entry)

Entry one: Visit isABelt and tell me the 4th belt that I am missing from the above list. Also please indicate if you would like to win the Medium or Large belt.

Entry two: Follow my blog

Entry three: Add my button to your side bar.

Entry four: Tweet about this contest and link directly to this post

Entry five: Stumble about this post

The contest will close on Saturday January 24th at 11:59PM EST.

After the giveaway has ended, the winner will be picked randomly using random.org.

EMAIL RULES: In order to win, you must provide a valid email or link to your blog. Please make sure your blog profile includes your email address or a link and make sure that it is visible. If you do not have a blogger account, please make sure you have included your email address in your post. If there is no way to contact the winner, another person will be chosen. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to the winning notification with their complete mailing address. This giveaway is open to residents of US only!

Friday, January 16, 2009

Did you know the color you pick to wear could be sending a non-verbal message?

Green: The color of nature, refreshing and easy on the eye.Pink: The most tranquilizing color and a very romantic color.Blue: Tranquil and calming, releases calming chemicals in the brainBlack: A color that evokes authority and power. Do you have a favorite color.

Be sure to visit my Product Junkie feature tomorrow. I have a fabulous giveaway that is also a solution to a fashion dilemma I too have from time to time. To read my entire article please visit Beautiful! Fabulous!